Strongest Swordman’s Re:START

ice except to flee or fight at this point.

“Merc, what happened?”

Totoara inquired softly.
She had most likely also noticed that something wasn’t right.

“There’s a group coming our way.”
“What? What did you just say?!”

A tiny red light could be seen flickering between the trees in front of them at the time Totoara said that.
The movement of the light indicated that it was the flame of a torch.
Which meant that the group consisted of humans.

“Fire!”

A single arrow pierced the darkness the moment that voice echoed throughout the area.

The arrow flew entirely above Merc and Totoara’s heads before piercing a tree in the back.
Merc and Totoara had no means of knowing whether the men had missed on purpose.

“Don’t move! The next one won’t miss!”

Merc determined that the arrow had only served as a threat based on what the opposing side had just said.

“Who are you?”

Merc asked.
After this, a row of guys carrying lit torches emerged from the shrubbery.
The man in the middle of the row then smirked devilishly as he drew his blade.

“Hehehe.
We’re this mountain’s watchmen.
If you wish to pass you’ll have to pay the toll.”

The man with the filthy circle beard who had just now spoken appeared to be the leader of the bunch.

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Watchmen my a̲s̲s̲.
They’re nothing more than mountain bandits…

Merc thought as she tightened the grip on her wooden stick.
　
There were twenty enemies.
　
Merc could tell they were all small fry, but she couldn’t relax her guard.
In addition to having ten times their numbers, Merc sensed something peculiar about the group’s leader.

“How much is the toll?”
“10 gold coins1! Are you paying?”

10 gold coins? Ridiculous…

Merc knew that the men’s goal wasn’t the toll based on the amount the leader had just declared.
　
Merc was curious as to which traveler would be able to spit out ten gold coins.
She was convinced that the men had no intention of ever letting them go.

“And what if we can’t pay?”
“Hehe.
We’ll have to resort to other means.
You see, we’re not mountain bandits so we’ll let you off if you leave everything you have.”

That’s just what a mountain bandit would say…

“That’s just what a mountain bandit would say!”

Totoara shouted out exactly what Merc was thinking, slamming the men.
As soon as he heard that, the men’s leader knit his brows.

“Missy.
That’s not something you’re allowed to say.
We have a rule of not letting anyone who has called us bandits leave.”

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“S-So what? Y-You want some of this huh?”

Totoara said this while fearfully scanning the area and nervously adopting a gap-filled stance.
She was fidgeting with her arms, most likely owing to the stress from the numerous torches that surrounded them.

“No.
You are women after all.
Only filthy scumbags would lay a hand on women.
We’ll let you off the hook this time.”
“Some lax rules you got here.” Merc said mockingly.
“Did you say something? Well it doesn’t matter.
Just leave everything that you have.
This includes your money, weapons and clothes.
Everything.
If you do that, we’ll let you go.”

Totoara looked at Merc after the leader announced his demands and asked, “What should we do?”
“We fight.”

Merc naturally responded in hushed tones.
　
After all, they would lose the map that the Adventurers’ Guild had given them if they had all of their belongings stolen.
They wouldn’t be able to take the shortest path if it happened, which would make arriving at their goal difficult.
Rather, it would make it impossible.
　
It was something they had to avoid at all costs.

“So, Missies, what will it be?”

As he carelessly lifted his foot to approach closer, the group’s leader inquired.

The moment the leader’s foot lifted off of the ground was the moment that Merc dashed forward2.

 

References

Robinxen: Is this a lot? Robinxen: Speed lines go!